Water pumped from bores deeper than 400 feet has a high level of heavy metals like arsenic, iron, fluoride and other nitrates which are extremely poisonous, yet most people are unaware of this fact.

Hyderabad is particularly prone to fluoride poisoning. Some areas in Hyderabad district like Qutubullapur, Dulapally and Nizampet report higher than normal levels of fluoride, while in Ranga Reddy district, Balanagar, Shamshabad and Shamirpet have the highest levels of fluoride. The deeper the bore well, the higher the level of fluoride it contains. In areas that do not get municipal water and rely solely on bore water, this could be dangerous as even a 0.1 increase in fluoride levels is extremely harmful. High levels of fluoride have been known to cause a condition called fluorosis that causes brittle bones and teeth.

Says Anita, a resident of an apartment complex in Miyapur, “We receive two big plastic cans of drinking water every day because our complex still does not receive municipal water. I don’t know where this water comes from but we are forced to drink this.”

It is no secret that most of the drinking water supplied in cans is just filtered bore water. If the source of the water and the method of filtration is unknown, drinking such canned water is questionable. As a matter of fact, even RO purified water is not safe for drinking if the machine is not being serviced and filters are not being replaced regularly.

Another big problem with the water from deep bores is that sometimes this water is very old. Water from aquifers lying deep in the rocks can sometimes be as old as 1500 to 6000 years old. Areas like AS Rao Nagar, Toli Chowki, Banjara Hills, Dollar Hills, Uppal and Habsiguda have produced water as old as 1500 to 2000 years in deep bore wells. It is unclear about the long-term effects of depleting the water from such deep aquifers. When these water sources dry up they do not get recharged because rainwater cannot percolate through solid rock. These deep bores will inevitably run dry in the long term. Ironically, it is the shallow bores that get revitalized during the monsoons and therefore provide safe and fresh drinking water for many years.

It is important for the general population to become aware of the dangers of deep bore water and exercise common sense. Some points to be taken into consideration:

1) Bore wells should not be dug beyond a depth of 300 feet

2) Take the help of an experienced geologist before digging a bore well – These experts are able to locate water with the help of instruments. Many times, if rock is discovered at a depth of about 50-80 feet into the ground, it is uncertain if such a bore will yield water for another 400-500 feet and is probably not worth it in terms of cost and quality of water.

3) A second bore well should not be drilled very near to a dried up bore well – It can collapse due to gravitational pull and earth vibrations. A distance of at least 15 feet from the first well should be maintained.

4) A rainwater harvesting pit can be constructed near a defunct bore well to help recharge it

A pit 3-4 feet in depth and 3 feet by 3 feet in length and breadth should be dug. A layer of sand is poured followed by a layer of small size concrete. This process is repeated till the pit is completely full. During the rainy reason, the rain water gets filtered in the pit before entering the bore well. Many wells with scanty water supply can be improved by this technique.

5) If possible, an open, dug well should be maintained instead of a bore well – This traditional version of a well not only stores water but also recharges the ground water during the rains.

6) Canned water should be tested before consumption – There are many labs around the city that conduct these tests for as low as Rs 790 for raw water testing and Rs 990 for drinking water testing. Online labs like Purityportal will even come to your home to collect the water for testing.

The post The Dangers of Deep Bores appeared first on SAHE : Society for Advancement of Human Endeavour.

Stepwells are wells or ponds used to store water and it is reached by descending a set of steps, hence the name Step wells. Stepwells are examples of many types of storage and irrigation tanks that were developed in India, primarily to manage seasonal instabilities in water availability. A basic difference between stepwells, and tanks and wells, is – Stepwells make it easier for people to reach the ground water and to maintain and manage the well.

The earliest stepwells date to around 550 A.D., but the most famous of them were built in primitive times. It is estimated that more than 3,000 stepwells were built in the two northern states. Although many have fallen into poor condition and have been filled in with trash in the modern era, hundreds of wells still exist.

In Telangana alone, there are more than 75 stepwells per a survey by HDF (Hyderabad Design Forum)

These wells are known by many names. Hindus call them as baori, baoli, baudi, bawdi, or bavadi. Gujaratis know them as vav.

Two common types of wells are: 1. Step pond with a large open top and 2. Graduated sides meeting at a relatively shallow depth. Stepwells usually consist of two parts: a vertical shaft (protected from direct sunlight by a full or partial roof) from which water is drawn and the surrounding inclined subterranean passageways, chambers and steps which provide access to the well. The galleries and chambers surrounding these wells were often carved abundantly with intricate detail and became cool, quiet retreats during the hot summers. Temples and resting areas with beautiful carvings are built into many of the wells.

Most surviving stepwells originally served relaxation purpose along with providing water. This was because the base of the well provided respite from high temperature during the day, and relief was amplified if the well was covered.

Stepwells also served as a place for social gettogethers and holy rituals. Usually, women were associated with these wells because they were responsible to get water. And, majorly they used to pray and offer gifts to the goddess of the well for her blessings. This led to the building of some significant decorative and architectural structures, often associated with dwellings. It also ensured their survival as monuments.

The stepwell ensured availability of water during periods of drought. The stepwells had social, cultural and religious significance. These stepwells were proven to be well-built sturdy structures, after withstanding earthquakes.

Stepwells are certainly one of India’s most unusual, but little-known, contributions to architecture. They influenced many other structures in Indian architecture, especially many that incorporate water into their design.

References:

1. http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscura/2013/09/03/chand_baori_is_an_exquisitely_carved_ancient_stone_water_stepwell_in_india.html
2. http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ancient-stepwells-india
3. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/The-forgotten-step-wells-of-Telangana/article17056598.ece

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Just a few kilometres away, is Mastananagar, a lower middle class area. The situation is even grimmer here. “We get only 2 buckets of water, once in 4 or 5 days,” says Revathi, a domestic helper who lives here. This would not be the situation if residents became aware of how to recharge groundwater and make the most use of rainwater harvesting.

We had the pleasure of meeting one of the members of SAHE (Society for Advancement of Human Endeavour), Ms  Kalpana Ramesh at her lovely, eco-friendly home.

Kalpana has worked extensively on her own house to harness the bounty of the monsoon season. Beneath her lovely garden is hidden a 30000 litre rainwater sump that stores filtered rainwater collected from her rooftop. This water can last to almost a year and is pure enough to be used for drinking purposes. She was kind enough to explain how many of us can stop being dependent on tankers, municipal and bore well water simply by storing rain water during the monsoons.

Harvesting rainwater from rooftops is a fairly uncomplicated, inexpensive procedure. Most houses already have sumps for storing municipal, bore or tanker water. Rainwater is diverted from rooftops to these sumps during monsoons. A separate tank can also be maintained for this purpose. A 5000 litre sump can collect 50mm of rainfall from a 300 sq. meter roof area.

In case of already constructed house, the existing pipes can be used with an additional few for directing water into the sump. In new constructions, 4” to 5” diameter PVC down pipes can be used. This can be done in any kind of residential or office building.

The discharge point in the roof should be connected to the down water pipe. A grill, mesh or floor trap at the discharge point needs to be installed to prevent fallen leaves or any other small objects from entering the pipe.

In case of sloping roof, a cast-in-situ half round gutter across the slope, all along the edge needs to be installed to collect rain water. A half-turned galvanized iron sheet placed horizontally all along the edge of the roof can also be used to capture the water from the roof. A grill or mesh at the inlet of the down water pipe can be fitted to prevent fallen leaves from entering the pipe. A first rain separator is fixed before the filter. The filter is connected at the end of the down water pipe. Using horizontal pipes, the filtered water can be directed into the sump. In addition, an outflow pipe can be installed in the sump that will cause excess water to be diverted to recharge any existing bore or aquifer beneath.

The estimated cost of a new sump construction is Rs. 5 per litre. In an existing house with a sump tank the cost could be around 5000-10000 depending on the plumber costs.

This simple, inexpensive procedure can go a long way in ensuring that future summers will not be marred by fears of water shortage. You can surround yourself with greenery and indulge in refreshing cool showers without worrying about where the next tanker of water is coming from.

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